For example, in pharmaceuticals or similar fields, the collection of samples stored in the form of library is made by means of preparative separation-purification devices in which a liquid chromatograph is utilized. In a device disclosed in Patent Literature 1, target components (compounds) in a sample solution are temporally separated by the liquid chromatograph and introduced into trap columns respectively prepared for the target components, and temporarily held in the trap columns. Subsequently, a solvent is flown into each trap column to elute the target component captured in the trap column, thereby collecting a solution, which contains the target component, in a container. Then, a drying process is applied to the solution collected, in which the solvent is eliminated and the target component is collected as a solid body.
The drying process is normally performed by heating the solution collected. However, since the temperature of the target component cannot be raised too high in order to avoid change in quality of the target component, some components require several hours to one day in this method. In the preparative separation-purification process, the drying process takes the longest time, and therefore it is essential to reduce the time of the drying process in order to reduce the whole time of the process.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, Patent Literatures 2 to 5 disclose a method in which a solution containing a target component is dropped in a collection container with a blow of air or gas, such as nitrogen, to nebulize the solution, thereby the vaporization of the solvent is enhanced.
A general procedure for the drying process (hereinafter referred to as “gas-blowing vaporizing and drying process”) according to the method of Patent Literatures 2 to 5 will be described referring to FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C and 7D. A preparative separation-purification device in FIGS. 7A to 7D includes a temperature adjusting block 54 that heats a collection container 53 to a predetermined temperature, a solution-introducing tube 50 that introduces the solution to the collection container 53 embedded in the temperature adjusting block 54, and a sealing tube 55 that discharges nebulizing gas introduced in the collection container 53 and a solvent vaporized in the collection container 53 from the collection container 53 while preventing their leak to the surroundings of the collection container 53. The solution-introducing tube 50 and the sealing tube 55 are integrally formed, and the solution-introducing tube 50 has a double tube structure made from an inner tube 50A through which the solution flows and an outer tube 50B through which the nebulizing gas flows. The collection container 53 includes a container body 51, and a lid 52 that can fit on the opening of the upper part of container body 51. The lid 52 includes a doughnut-shaped cushion 52A and a cushion mounting part 52B, having a hole in the center, on which the cushion 52A is mounted (FIG. 7A).
In the gas-blowing vaporizing and drying process, the solution-introducing tube 50 descends and passes through the cushion 52A and the hole in the center of the cushion mounting part 52B, and is inserted into the collection container 53 (FIG. 7B). The sealing tube 55 also descends along with the solution-introducing tube 50, and the end of the sealing tube 55 presses the cushion 52A. Accordingly, the end of the sealing tube 55 is tightly contacts the cushion 52A, and the collection container 53 and the sealing tube 55 are hermetically sealed with each other. Subsequently, the solution is delivered to the inner tube 50A, and the nebulizing gas is delivered to the outer tube 50B (FIG. 7C). Consequently, the solution dropped from the end of the inner tube 50A is sheared by the flow of the nebulizing gas from the outer tube 50B, and is turned to fine droplets (mist), which attach to the inner wall of the collection container 53. The collection container 53 is heated in advance by the temperature adjusting block 54, so that the solvent in fine droplets attached to the inner wall vaporizes, and the target component (solute) is left there in the form of powder. The nebulizing gas introduced in the collection container 53 and the solvent vaporized in the collection container 53 are discharged through the sealing tube 55 to the outside.